Review of Blackpool Lass by Maggie Mason

Blackpool Lass by Maggie Mason aka Mary Wood, is the story of Grace Rimmer battling bereavement, financial and personal hardship to find happiness at last.

The drama takes place against Blackpool in its pre-WW2 hay-day with sideshows on the pier and the legendary Blackpool rock.

Grace’s struggle starts after her mother dies and her father sinks into despair. She falls back on the support of her grandmother who herself is in poor health and so Graces trails and tribulation loss and heartbreak begin. Black days follow where she is caught in the heartless 1930s orphaned children system where her fighting spirit is tested to the limits.

As I don’t want to spoil your enjoyment of a Blackpool Lass, I can’t tell you how Grace overcomes all her many problems but as always with Mary’s stories, poor Grace goes through much heartache and suffering and many twisted and hold-your-breath turns before triumphing at last.

Blackpool Lass is in the grand tradition of sagas set down by the late and great Catherine Cookson, with a strong fearless heroine facing all that life can throw at her. It is full of sweeping drama and tear-jerking heartache before overcoming all her trials and tribulations.

It’s a page turner so I read Blackpool Lass from cover to cover in 2 days and have no hesitation in recommending it to all you saga lover.

Mary writes historical sagas for Pan Macmillan covering the late nineteenth century to mid-twentieth including both wars. She has 9 books in print and another – THE FORGOTTEN DAUGHTER is realeased in December.

Under her pen name of Maggie Mason, Mary writes regional sagas set in Blackpool, again covering the time period as above. She has her first THE BLACKPOOL LASS published this week – 20th September.

Mary lives in Blackpool and enjoys researching the history of her home town, coming up with some surprising facts and excited to uncover material for future books.

Born the 13th child of 15 children, Mary experienced life at the raw end. Though she says of her childhood that though poor they were happy and were rich in love.

Mary writes full time now having ended her 9 – 5 working life in the Probation service. This experience gave the grittiness she brings to her writing as Mary says she feels compelled to tell it how it is.